Election disruption threat: Buratai orders immediate crackdown on IPOB

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and his co-travellers may have to do a speedy rethink about their plan to disrupt the fast approaching general elections, if the threat by the Chief of Army Staff(COAS), Lt. General Tukur Buratai, is to be held sacrosanct.

Gen. Buratai was in full battle mode on Monday as he ordered total crackdown on the proscribed organisation should it and its leaders make good their threat to disrupt the polls in the South East.

To underscore the fact that he means business, the Army Chief ordered the smooth execution of Operation Safe Conduct, which he noted, was designed to help achieve the smooth conduct of the elections, which start about 12 days time starting with the presidential vote.

The Army Chief gave the order while speaking at the Chief of Army Staff Operations Conference, in Abuja.

“The activities of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and their splinter groups in the South Eastern part of the country are gaining momentum as the group is threatening to disrupt the 2019 electoral process,” General Buratai declared. “Their excesses must therefore be clamped down immediately.”

He didn’t stop there; he further declared: “Furthermore, the political clashes in Taraba State and a few other states, call for enhanced liaison between commanders, the Nigeria Police and other security agencies in order to de-escalate tension as quickly as possible.”

Prior to delivering the order, the COAS had noted the Nigerian Army had gathered intelligence that showed that there were subversive motives by “some unpatriotic groups, aided by foreign conspirators, to scuttle the peaceful conduct of the 2019 general elections in some parts of the country,” warning “such detractors to immediately mend their ways.”

Buratai didn’t mince words when he further disclosed that the Nigerian Army was collaborating with the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies not only to nip in the bud any plan, by any group or persons, to cause chaos, but also to create a peaceful atmosphere to all peace-loving citizens to exercise their franchise on the election days.

“In this regard,” Buratai continued, “GOCs and field commanders at all levels are to deal decisively with any form of security breach.”